Porch-curtain



w. F. SMITH, JR. PORCH CURTAIN. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, I920- Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- W. F. SMITH, JR. PORCH CURTAIN. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1920.

Patented Mar. 15,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. SMITH, JR., 015 MAGEE. MISSISSIPPI.

PORCH-CURTAIN.

Application filed September 27, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. SMITH, J12, of Magee, Simpson county, Mississippi, have invented an Improvement in Porch- Curtains, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The object of this invention is a substantial and easily operated water and storm proof closure for the open sides of porches and other structures to which curtains are applied for protection from sun, wind, rain or dust.

The advantages of the invention over existing types of porch curtains will be ap parent to those familiar with the construction or use of sleeping porches for which the invention is especially adapted, from the following description of a preferred form of device illustrated in the drawings.

The details of construction and modes of use of the invention for which patent protection is claimed in the appended claims are not restricted to those shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is aside view of a curtain applied to a screened porch, looking at it from the inside, Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a vertical section and a horizontal section of the same on the lines 2-2' and 3-3 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 41 in Fig. 1, with parts of the sill cover and sill removed to disclose the parts beneath; Figs. 5 and 6 are part cross sections and part perspective views of the side frame and guides. and the top frame and supporting pulleys, respectively; Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the lower portion of a porch side equipped with a modified form of the invention, showing the curtain fully raised;

and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the curtain fully lowered and the sill cover closed down; Fig. 9 is a part perspective and part cross section of another modification as applied to a porch side having no inner wainscoting; and Fig. 10 1s a perspective view of a modified form of guide for the side edges of the curtain.

The porch shown in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings has open sides, the lower portions of which are sheathed on the outside with weatherboards 11 and on the inside with wainscoting or sheathing 12, of any suitable kind, nailed or otherwise secured to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Serial No. 412,908.

posts 13 and sills 1 1. The top part of the porch side ust under the roof plates may be protected from theweather and ventilated by louvers 15, and the whole side opening covered with screen wire 16 in any de sired manner.

The curtain 17 is nailed along one edge to the top inner edge of the ledge or sill 18 and the opposite edge is secured to a stiffening member 19, the ends of which fit into and slide up and down in the side guides 20 on the posts 13. These guides are made either of wood or metal so shaped as to provide a nearly closed channel or runway with a narrow slot or opening on one side fron1 end to end for the side edge ofthe curtaln to run in, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 10.

The body of the curtain hangs down in the space under the ledge 18 between the posts and sheathing when out of use, and is raised by means of the cords 21 which pass over pulleys 22 secured to the posts or other convenient part of the structure above the opening, such as the top frame 23 for the screening, and have their free ends brought down inside the structure to a convenient place for manipulating them. The free ends of the cords may be secured by means of a cleat, or the pulleys22 may be provided with automatic catches for holding the curtain in raised or partly raised position as desired. A heavy roller 24, preferably made of rust proof metal, is held loosely in the bight of the curtain below the ledge 18 to hold the curtain taut in all positions of adjustment, as shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8.

The side edges of the curtain are corded or otherwise strengthened and enlarged to form flexible holding means adapted to fit loosely in the runways 20 and retain the edges of the curtain in the guides and thereby keep it weather tight in all positions.

If desiped, a cover board 25 may be arranged over the space between the wainscoting and inner edges of the ledge 18 to conceal and protect the curtain in its low cred position. The cover board may be hinged so as to lift up either inside or outside of the curtain, as desired, or secured in any convenient manner. The preferred form of construction shown in the drawings has the cover board secured to the top edge of the wainscoting with its outer edge resting on the inner edge of the ledge 18 below the nailingstrip 26 for the screen, which is spaced above the ledge to permit the water to run oil from the lower edge of the curtain. In raised position of he curtain the cover board holds it against the inner edge f the ledge to shed rain water, as shown in ig. 2. I

In the modified form of construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the cover strip 25 is hinged to the screen nailing strip 26 and lifts up outside of the curtain. This arrangement avoids pinching the curtain between the cover and the ledge, and permits the roller 24 to operate at all times to keep the curtain taut.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 9 the screen wire is carried down flush with the top of the ledge 18 to cover the opening may be left in position throughout all Seasons without suflering injury.

It is evident that modifications in the shape and arrangement of the curtain, and

in the details of the various parts of the device, maybe made to conform to the construction of the porch or other structure to which the invention is applied.

I claim the following as my invention:

1. -A vertically adjustable closure for openings comprising a flexible curtain or screen member attached along one edge to a fixed horizontal support beneath the opening, adjustable means above the opening for supporting the opposite edge of said flexible member, the length of said flexible member being greater than the height of said open ing, whereby a portion constituting a bight depends below said fixed support, and a roller loosely held in the bight of said flexible member to retain it taut in all positions.

2. A porch structure having posts, a ledge between the posts with a space below it. guides on the posts above the ledge, a curtain with its side edges adapted to he slidably held in said guides, the lower edge 0%, said curtain extending into said spaceand being secured to said ledge, pulleys and cords for supporting the'upper edge of said curtain, means for clamping said curtain against said ledge, and a rolling weight arranged in the slack of the curtain below the ledge to hold it down.

3. A. vertically adjustable closure for openings comprising a flexible curtain or screen member attached along one edge to :1

4. A vertically adjustable closure for openings comprising a flexible curtain or screen member attached along one edge to a fixed horizontal support beneath the opening, said adjustable means for supporting the opposite edge of said flexible member across the opening above-said fixed support, the side edges of said flexible member being provided with enlarged selvages, fixed guides on both sides of the opening constituting runways for said selvages, and a roller loosely held in the bight of said flexible member below said fixed support to retain it taut in all positions.

-5. In a structure having upright posts with an opening between them provided with a low side wall, a closure for said opening comprising a curtain attached along one edge to the top of said side wall below said opening andhaving its opposite edge free to move up and down across said opening above said side wall, adjustable cords suspended from said structure for supporting the free edge of'said curtain, the intermedi ate portion hanging down in a bight below the top of said side walls, a loose roller in thebight of said, curtain, and means for securing said cords in adjusted position.

' 6. In a structure having upright posts, with an opening between them provided with a low side wall, a closure for said opening comprising a curtain attached along one edge to the top of said side wall and having its opposite edge free to move up anddown,

adjustable cords suspended from said structure for supporting the freeedge of said curtain with an intermediate portion of said curtain hanging down in a bight below the top of said side wall, said cords being extended down one on each side selvage of said curtain and attached thereto, a loose roller in the bight of said curtain, and means for securing said cords in adjusted position.

7. In a structure having uprightposts with an opening between themprovided with a low side wall, a closure for said opening comprising a curtain-attached along one edge to the top of said side wall and having its opposite edge free tomove up and down,

. adjustable cords suspended from said struc- .top of said side wall, said cords being extended down one on each selvage of said curtain and attached thereto, channel members secured to said posts above said side wall on each side of said opening, the extended portions of said cords running in said channel members and thereby guiding the edges of said curtain, a loose roller in the bight of said curtain, and meansfor securing said cords in adjusted position.

8. In a structure having upright posts with an opening between them provided with a low side wall having a top ledge and inner sheathing spaced from said ledge, a closure for said opening comprising a curtain attached along one edge to the top of said side wall and having its opposite edge free to move up and down, adjustable cords suspended from said structure for supporting the free edge of saidrcurtain with an intermediate portion of said curtain hanging down in a bight below said ledge, a movable cover over said ledge and sheathing, said curtain being housed in by said cover and sheathing in lowered position, a loose roller in the bight of said curtain, and means for securing said cords in adjusted position. a

9. A. vertically adjustable closure for openings comprising a flexible curtain or screen member attached along one edge to a fixed horizontal support beneath the opening, a stifliening bar secured along the opposite edge of said flexible member, adjustable means for supporting said stiffening bar above said horizontal support to suspend said flexible member across the opening with a portion of said flexible member hanging down in a bight, and a roller of uniform diameter loosely held in the bight of said flexible member to retain it taut in all positions of adjustment of said stiffening bar.

10. A porch structure having posts, a ledge between the posts, guides on the posts above the ledge, a curtain with its side edges adapted to be slidably held in said guides, the lower edge of said curtain being secured to said ledge, a horizontal cover over said ledge and curtain in its lowered position, said cover being hinged along its inner edge to tilt out of the Way of said curtain, means for raising and supporting the upper edge of said curtain, said cover being arranged to close down against said ledge and clamp an intermediate portion of said curtain and means engaging the slack of the curtain below the ledge to hold it down.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' WILLIAM F. SMITH, JR. 

